Pearson (LON:PSON) Stock Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average of $964.02

Pearson plc (LON:PSON)’s share price passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 964.02 ($12.00) and traded as high as GBX 996.80 ($12.41). Pearson shares last traded at GBX 990.40 ($12.33), with a volume of 1,950,716 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently commented on PSON shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Pearson from GBX 1,200 ($14.94) to GBX 1,220 ($15.19) and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 20th. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Pearson from GBX 975 ($12.14) to GBX 965 ($12.01) and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Shore Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Pearson in a report on Tuesday, April 2nd.

Pearson Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of £6.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,873.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.31. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is GBX 999.10 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 965.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 30.19, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 1.07.

Pearson Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 21st will be issued a dividend of GBX 15.70 ($0.20) per share. This represents a dividend yield of 1.63%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 21st. This is a positive change from Pearson’s previous dividend of $7.00. Pearson’s payout ratio is 4,339.62%.

Insider Transactions at Pearson

In other news, insider Graeme Pitkethly bought 210 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 28th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 1,037 ($12.91) per share, for a total transaction of £2,177.70 ($2,710.94). 0.33% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About Pearson

Pearson plc offers educational courseware, assessments, and services in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Asia Pacific, other European countries, and internationally. The company operates through five segments: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Workforce Skills, and Higher Education.